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Fairfield University to offer Irish language course this fall

Fairfield University will offer the 10-week course "Introduction to the Irish Language" this fall on campus. The course, which will cover the basics of Irish pronunciation, syntax and grammar, is open to the public.

Irish, also known as Gaelic, is going through a major renaissance with more people being able to speak and write in Irish now than in the last 150 years. Irish is the oldest surviving Celtic language, going back to the Roman Empire, and it opens a window to the Gaelic Order prior to 1690. The language is also key to understanding Irish place names, surnames and personal names.

Official estimates indicate that 40 million people claim Irish ancestry in the U.S. alone and the language provides a valuable cultural link in the shared history of these groups. The course also offers an excellent complement to the Irish Studies program at Fairfield University.

The Tuesday evening course begins on September 16 and runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. for 10 weeks. The cost is $395. The course instructor is John Feeney, who has been teaching Irish language in the New York/Connecticut area for 20 years.